Texas State University Men's Baseball

STEVEN TROUT FILE Personal Information Birthday October 4, 1984 Hometown Hooks, Texas Education TCU, 2007 Family Wife: Blair; Daughter: Ellison; Son: Banks Coaching History 2020-Pres. Texas State Head Coach 2018-19 Texas State Associate Head Coach 2016-17 Texas State Assistant Coach 2013-15 West Virginia Assistant Coach 2012 Texarkana College Head Coach 2011 Houston Volunteer Assistant 2009-10 Texas State Volunteer Assistant Head Coaching Record 2020-Pres. Texas State 172-137 (.557) 2012 Texarkana College 34-25 (.576) Coaching Honors 2022 Ron Maestri Coach of the Year Playing Experience 2008 Fort Worth Cats Macon Music Kansas City T-Bones 2006-07 TCU 2004-05 Texarkana College Playing Honors 2007 TCU All-Mountain West Second Team All-NCAA Houston Regional Team 2005 Texarkana College All-Conference Steven Trout is in his seventh season as the head coach of Texas State after being named to the position on July 1, 2019. He has compiled a 172-137 record in his time in charge of the program. Overall, Trout is in his 13th season with the Bobcats after serving previously as associate head coach (2018-19), assistant coach (2016-17) and volunteer assistant (2009-10). The 2025 season saw Texas State win five games against ranked opponents that included beating No. 1 ranked Texas A&M in College Station. The Bobcats also picked up a neutral site win over 19th-ranked Oklahoma State at Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers. For the fifth straight season, Texas State beat Texas in Austin for the fourth straight year to tie the longest such streak in program history. In 2023, the Bobcats compiled a 36-23 record that saw the team defeat five ranked opponents. Trout claimed his 100th career victory during the season when TXST defeated Arkansas State 8-7 in 10 innings on March 31. He was also the fastest to reach triple-digit wins in program history as it came in his 162nd game in charge and surpassing the previous mark of 168 contests by Ty Harrington. During the season, Texas State set program records for runs in a series with 56 in the opening weekend sweep of Northwestern, home runs in a game (8) and total bases (53) in the series finale against the Wildcats on February 19. The Bobcats ended up hitting 83 homers and the pitchers combined for 541 strikeouts, both the second most in team history. Levi Wells would be named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team. The right-handed pitcher would be selected in the fourth round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles and become the highest drafted Bobcat since 2011. After the season, Chase Mora was also named to the Perfect Game Freshman All-American Second Team after his record-setting campaign. The 2022 season was a historic one for Texas State that saw the team win the Sun Belt Conference regular season title for the second time in the last three full seasons, win a record 47 games, receive the first-ever at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the winner-take-all game of the Stanford Regional. The Bobcats defeated the No. 1 (Texas) and No. 2 (Stanford) on the road, only team in the nation to accomplish the feat, and also beat a team record eight Power 5 programs including winning a weekend series at then 11th-ranked Arizona. Texas State also became the first Sun Belt team to go undefeated in league play on the road (15-0). Seven players were named to the all-conference team with a record five first team selections including Sun Belt Player of the Year Dalton Shuffield. Trout was named the Ron Maestri Coach of the Year for the first time in his career by the league. Both Tristan Stivors and Shuffield were All-American selections with Stivors being the first unanimous pick in program history. Stivors was also chosen as the NCBWA Stopper of the Year after leading the nation with 18 saves. Shuffield (Minnesota Twins) and Stivors (Chicago White Sox) were chosen in the 10th and 16th rounds, respectively fo the 2022 MLB Draft. Texas State defeated two Big XII programs in 2021 with wins over #9 TCU and Oklahoma, and played in the Shriners College Classic for the second time in three years. The Bobcats also won its first-ever road series at Troy and picked up series victories over Louisiana and Sun Belt Champion South Alabama. Following the season, Zachary Leigh was the first-ever player under Trout to be selected in the MLB Draft when the Chicago Cubs drafted him in the 16th round. The 2020 season saw Texas State start off with a 14-4 record before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the rest of the year. It was the best start for the program since 2011 and by a first-year head coach in Bobcat history. The record was also the best of any Sun Belt Conference program entering conference play. His 14 wins were also the most in the nation by a first-year head coach. In 2019, Trout helped guide the Texas State to its first-ever Sun Belt Conference regular season championship. The team finished in the top half of 13 different offensive categories in the conference while recording top five program marks in doubles (118) and walks (301). The Bobcats also set a program record with a .977 fielding percentage, the 29th best in the nation. Both Jaylen Hubbard and Jaxon Williams were All-Sun Belt and Shriners College Classic All-Tournament team selections while Dalton Shuffield was an ABCA/Rawlings All-Region honoree in 2019 under Trout’s guidance. The Bobcat offense in 2017 was one of the most lethal in the Sun Belt Conference. TXST ranked inside the top three in the league in 13 different offensive categories, including batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs, total bases, total plate appearances, at bats, walks, and steals. Trout helped groom four MLB Draft selections from 2017-19. Hubbard was picked in the 27th round by the Washington Nationals while both Jonathan Ortega (19th, Boston Red Sox) and Luke Sherley (14th, Detroit Tigers) came off the board in 2018. Slugger Theodore Hoffman was selected in the 15th round of the 2017 draft by the Detroit Tigers.  Trout spent three years as an assistant coach at West Virginia University. During his time with the Mountaineers, he served under his former collegiate coach Randy Mazey. He also helped the team to some of the best offensive numbers in the Big 12. WVU led the Big 12 in home runs in 2015 (49). In addition, Trout guided Kyle Davis to a Freshman All-American season. In 2014, the Mountaineers ranked No. 1 in hitting after batting at a .287 clip under Trout, including Bobby Boyd (.356), Billy Fleming (.351) and Ryan McBroom (.341), who stood No. 1-3 in the Big 12 in batting average. McBroom was fourth in RBI with 49, fifth in slugging percentage (.512) and seventh in home runs (8). Boyd and McBroom were drafted in the MLB Draft while Fleming signed a contract in the offseason. In his first season at WVU, three players eclipsed the .300 average mark, and eight batters earned All-Big 12 honors under Trout’s guidance. Previously, Trout served as head coach of Texarkana College, his former team. While at Texarkana, Trout led the Bulldogs to a 34-25 mark in 2012, with the squad holding a conference-leading .303 batting average. He coached the conference player of the year, and seven players were selected to the Region XIV East All-Conference Team. Prior to his appointment at Texarkana, Trout was a volunteer assistant at Houston under Todd Whitting for the 2011 season. While there, Trout served as the third base coach and coached hitters, infielders and base runners while serving as camp director and assisted with recruiting and fundraising. The Cougars were runners-up in the Conference USA Tournament. Trout began his coaching career at Texas State when he served as a volunteer assistant from 2009-10. He worked as the catchers and first base coach while assisting with hitters and infielders during one of Texas State’s most successful seasons in the program’s history. The Bobcats went 41-17 in 2009, a school record for wins, and advanced to the NCAA Austin Regional after winning the Southland Conference regular-season championship. Texas State repeated as conference champions in 2010 with a record of 38-11. As a player, Trout spent two seasons at Texarkana College. With the Bulldogs, he earned all-conference accolades and helped them advance to the 2005 NJCAA World Series in 2005 before finishing his collegiate years at TCU. The Horned Frogs would win the Mountain West Conference Championship and competed in a NCAA Regional in both of Trout’s seasons (2006 & 2007) in Fort Worth. During his senior season, he posted a .326 batting average with 55 runs scored and 44 RBIs while being one of two players to start all 62 games. Trout would be named to the All-MW Second Team and was an all-region selection at the NCAA Houston Regional. Following his collegiate career, Trout played baseball with the Fort Worth Cats of the American Association before joining the Macon Music in the South Coast League. He would go on to join the Kansas City T-Bones and help the team win the 2008 Northern League Championship team. A native of Hooks, Texas, Trout earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies from TCU in 2007. He is married to the former Blair Eckerle. The couple have a daughter, Ellison, and son, Banks.

The 2025-26 season will be the sixth for associate head coach Bennie Seltzer who joined the Texas State men's basketball program in October 2020. He primarily works with the wings and assists on defensive strategy while also overseeing the recruiting areas in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and the east coast. In two seasons with the Bobcats, Seltzer has helped the team win back-to-back Sun Belt Conference championships (2021, 2022), win 39 games -- including a 24-6 conference record -- and reach the NIT for the first time in program history.   Seltzer came from the University of Evansville men's basketball program where he was hired in August 2019 and prior to that spent two seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater – Washington State.  The native of Birmingham, Ala. brings extensive experience to the Bobcats’ program. Prior to his time at WSU, Seltzer spent two seasons on the staff at Loyola with head coach Porter Moser.  In 2016-17, the Ramblers defeated Washington State in the Paradise Jam.   Seltzer had two stints at Indiana University with Coach Tom Crean.  He was an assistant coach with the Hoosiers from 2008 through 2012 before rejoining the IU staff as the Director of Player Performance in 2014.  In his time in Bloomington, Seltzer helped the Hoosiers recruit some of the top talents in the country including Victor Oladipo and Christian Watford.  The Hoosiers spent 10 weeks ranked atop the polls in 2012-13 and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.   In 2012, Seltzer was named the head coach of Samford University in his hometown of Birmingham.  In just two seasons, Seltzer recruited two Southern Conference Freshmen of the Year in Tim Williams and Isaiah Williams.   His coaching career began in 1997 as an assistant at the University of Oklahoma.  He worked with the Sooners until 2006 when he joined Coach Crean's staff at Marquette.  He remained with the Golden Eagles until 2008 when he joined the Hoosiers.   As a player at Washington State, Seltzer made a lasting impact on the Cougar program.  Playing from 1990 through 1993, Seltzer accumulated 473 assists, a total that continues to sit atop the program record book.  At the time of his graduation, he ranked second with 1,423 points and third in career steals and minutes played.  As a senior, he was named a First Team All-Pac 10 player while averaging 17.9 points per game.  He was inducted into the Pac-12 Men's Basketball Hall of Honor in 2015. Seltzer has a wife DicQues and two sons named Diamond and Bennie III.  

JOSH BLAKLEY FILE Personal Information Birthday February 25, 1985 Hometown Lorena, Texas Education UTSA, 2008 Family Wife: Ashlee; Daughter: Hattie Coaching History 2024-Pres. Texas State Associate Head Caoch 2020-2024 Texas State Assistant Coach 2019 UT Rio Grande Valley Assistant Coach 2018 Texas State Volunteer Assistant 2013-17 Ranger College Head Coach 2010-12 McMurry Assistant Coach 2009 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Volunteer Assistant Playing Experience 2006-07 UTSA 2004-05 Blinn College Playing Honors 2007 UTSA All-Southland Second Team 2005 Blinn College All-Conference Josh Blakley is in his fifth year overall with Texas State. He was hired in July 2019 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator and promoted to associate head coach in August 2024. Previously, he served as a volunteer assistant for the Bobcats in the 2018 season. Blakely spent the 2019 campaign as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for UT-Rio Grande Valley. In his lone season in Edinburg, Texas, he helped UTRGV win the WAC regular season championship for the program’s first conference title since 1955. Overall, UTRGV went 34-21 with wins over nationally-ranked Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The 2018 campaign saw Blakley serve as a volunteer assistant with the Bobcats. His duties included serving as the first base coach during games, assisting with outfielders and hitters and serving as the summer camp coordinator.   Prior to his arrival in San Marcos, Blakley was the head coach at Ranger College from 2013-17. He amassed 81 victories during his time leading the Rangers. During his tenure, he sent 23 student-athletes to play Division I baseball along with coaching and recruiting five players who were taken in the MLB Draft.   Blakley sent the 2010-12 seasons in Abilene, Texas at McMurry University as the War Hawks pitching coach with the team reaching two regionals. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant in 2009 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and was a pitching coach for the Vermont Mountaineers of the NECBL during that summer.   The 2006-07 seasons saw him play at UTSA in which he made 52 appearances on the mound with one career start. He finished his Roadrunner career with an 11-2 record, two saves and 82 strikeouts. Blakley’s senior campaign saw him compile an 8-0 mark with a 2.60 ERA, 59 strikeouts and 13 walks in 69.1 innings spanning 29 games.   Blakley played two years at Blinn College to begin his collegiate career. He went 14-5 with a 3.21 ERA in his two seasons and was an all-conference honoree.   He received his Master of Art degree in sports administration from Concordia University Irvine in January 2015. In 2008, the Waco, Texas native earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business management from UTSA.   Blakley married the former Ashlee Reed in June 2017. The couple has one daughter, Hattie.

Dwight Thorne is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Texas State men's basketball team after being hired in June 2025. Thorne arrives in San Marcos after a one-year stint at MSU Denver as an assistant coach. He helped the Roadrunners to a 19-10 record and fourth-place finish in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Four players on the team were named to an All-RMAC team that included two first-team selections.   Thorne spent the previous two seasons on staff at UT Arlington as an assistant coach. He was instrumental in coaching Chendall Weaver, who was named the Western Athletic Conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2022-23, and David Azore, who was selected to the All-Sun Belt Conference First Team and NABC All-District First Team in 2021-22.   Prior to working with the Mavericks, Throne was a staff member at the University of Denver for five years with the last two as an assistant coach. He was a major factor in breakthrough years for Ade Murkey and Jase Townsend. Murkey averaged a team-high 18.6 points per game in 2019-20 and Townsend increased his scoring output by 10 points a contest to 16.9 per game.   Thorne spent his first three years at with the Pioneers as the director of basketball operations. He helped organize the day-to-day activities of the program as well as handle all travel, food and hotel arrangements.   The 2015-16 season saw him serve as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech. That season, the Yellow Jackets finished 21-15 and reached the quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament.   Prior to his year in Atlanta, Thorne spent a couple of years in the private business sector after a four-year professional playing career. He began his career with PS Karlsruhe in Germany for the 2010-11 season. He also spent time in the NBA Development League prior to returning to Europe and playing two years in Athens as part of Greece’s top league before wrapping up his professional career in Zadar, Croatia.   In his four-year career at Colorado, Thorne played in 117 games, scored 750 points, grabbed 234 rebounds, dished out 160 assists, recorded 80 steals and shot 81% from the free throw line. He graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.   Thorne was born in Dallas and became the first player in Arlington Martin High School history to play on the varsity team all four years. An all-district and all-region performer, he averaged 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game as a junior before posting averages of 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists per contest as a senior.    

Bria Bethea joined Texas State women's basketball as a graduate assistant in the summer of 2025. Bethea played college basketball at Murray State and Southeastern Illinois Community College. Throughout her three seasons with Murray State she appeared in 81 games averaging 10.99 points per game, scoring 890 career points in her three seasons there. She shot 42.3% from the field and 38.4% from beyond the arc. She also brought down 364 rebounds, had 97 assists, 60 steals and 50 blocks.  In her freshman season, Bethea played at Southeastern Illinois where she was NJCAA Region 24 Freshman of the Year ... she was also a 1st Team All-Region pick while she led her team in scoring with 19.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game. She was ranked 24th in the nation in scoring while tallying nine double-doubles. Bethea is also a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

The 2019 campaign is the first at Texas State for volunteer assistant coach Jerry Cervantez. He serves as the summer camp coordinator.

Smith is in his third season as an assistant coach for the Texas State men's basketball team after being hired in July 2023. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, he also plays a primary role in recruiting. A Louisiana native, Smith joined the Bobcats after spending four seasons at New Orleans as a top assistant coach. From 2019 to 2023, he played a key role in the development of several school record-holders with the Privateers and helped the team post an 18-win season and reach the College Basketball Classic in 2021-22. Before New Orleans, Smith was the head coach at Wiley College (NAIA) in Marshall, Texas. In two seasons leading the program, he lifted the team to a 44-17 record. In his final season in 2018-19, he and the Wildcats went 24-7, reached the NAIA Sweet Sixteen, and captured their first national tournament win in 49 years.   That season, Smith was named the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) Coach of the Year and saw several Wildcats earn All-American and all-conference honors.   Prior to Wiley College, Smith was an assistant coach and director of player development for LSU-Alexandria (NAIA) for three seasons. The team went 86-9 over the stretch and won three straight conference championships and two conference tournament titles. In 2017, he helped the team reach the NAIA Fab Four and finish the season with a 34-1 record.   Smith’s coaching career began at the high school level where he was an assistant coach for eight years at Comeaux High School in Lafayette, La. He helped lead the team to several firsts, including a district championship, top-28 appearance, district MVP, All-Acadiana MVP, and a McDonald’s All-American. Jay Smith Collegiate Coaching Career Timeline 2024-25: Texas State - Assistant Coach 2023-24: Texas State - Assistant Coach 2022-23: New Orleans - Assistant Coach 2021-22: New Orleans - Assistant Coach 2020-21: New Orleans - Assistant Coach 2019-20: New Orleans - Assistant Coach 2018-19: Wiley College (NAIA) - Head Coach 2017-18: Wiley College (NAIA) - Head Coach 2016-17: LSU-Alexandria (NAIA) - Assistant Coach 2015-16: LSU-Alexandria (NAIA) - Assistant Coach 2014-15: LSU-Alexandria (NAIA) - Assistant Coach  

Paige Love will enter her fourth season as a Texas State assistant coach in 2025-26 and her eighth season overall with the Bobcats. She was a member of the Texas State coach staff as a graduate assistant and assistant coach from 2016 to 2020. Love, who has won a conference championship as a student-athlete and coach, works with the Texas State guards, assists with recruiting and does advance scouting of opponents. She earned the title of recruiting coordinator following the Bobcats' 2022-23 championship season. Following a stellar playing career at UNC Asheville (2012-16), where she helped the Bulldogs earn the program's second NCAA Division I Women's Basketball berth in school history in 2016, Love joined the Texas State women's basketball program as a graduate assistant prior to the 2016-17 season. Two years later, Love was promoted to a full-time assistant coach on Zenarae Antoine's staff. After two years at her alma mater (2020-21 and 2021-22), Love returned to Texas State in April 2022. During her time on the Bobcat bench, Love coached four All-Sun Belt student-athletes — Taeler Deer, Toshua Leavitt, Brooke Holle, and Kennedy Taylor — while helping the Bobcats win a share of the Sun Belt regular season championship in 2022-23, reach the WNIT twice (2018, 2023), and win a Division I program-record 23 games on two occasions (2018, 2023). In her first season back with the Bobcats in 2022-23, Love primarily worked with shooting guards and helped Tianna Eaton and Ja'Kayla Bowie have career years. Eaton led the team in blocks while averaging 9.0 points and 4.6 rebounds. Bowie, meanwhile, had personal-bests in points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes played. Love returned to her alma mater following the 2019-20 season when she was named assistant coach. During her first season back in Asheville, Love was named to the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Thirty-Under-30 list, a list comprised of the top 30 up-and-coming women's basketball coaches aged 30 and under at all levels of collegiate women's basketball.  In her first stint with the Bobcats, Love helped the Bobcats match the program's Division I record for wins in a season in 2017-18 and make an appearance in that season's WNIT -- the program's first WNIT berth in 10 years. Following the historic season, Love was a roundtable speaker at the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Convention at the Final Four in Columbus, Ohio, where she presented "Behind the Scenes: The Graduate Assistant Life." As a student-athlete at UNC Asheville, Love helped guide the Bulldogs to the 2015-16 Big South regular season and tournament championship. The Bulldogs clinched the program's second bid to the 2016 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament. Asheville earned the No. 14 seed in the Lexington Regional and drew a first round matchup with the host Kentucky Wildcats. During the season, Love was a winner of the William and Ida Friday Award for Service to Community, a nominee for the WBCA All-State Good Works Team, the John Wooden Citizenship Cup and the NCAA Woman of the Year award. At the conclusion of her senior year, Love was named the UNCA Female "Big Dog of the Year" and earned the UNCA Bulldog Service and Leadership Award. Love graduated from UNC Asheville in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in health and wellness promotion and received a master's degree in exercise science at Texas State in 2018. Love is also a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).  

Farris is in her first season on Texas State women's basketball's staff after joining in April of 2025. Prior to her time with the Bobcats, she was the Assistant Head Coach at Southern Miss for two years after a three-year stint on the Stetson Hatters coaching staff. In her time with the Golden Eagles, Farris oversaw the team's academics which, under her leadership, the team achieved the highest team GPA in Southern Miss program history. Farris was also recently added to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame as both a competitor and coach. Prior to her time at Stetson, Farris coached at John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, La. In her time with the Lady Patriots she posted a 291-64 mark and five state championships over 10 years. Farris also worked with the WNBA's New York Liberty from 2018-19 and 2012-14 as an assistant coach along with a two-year span as the WNBA's player liaison to the National Basketball Retired Players Association from 2016-17. Her time in the WNBA's coaching ranks stems from her past in the ranks of the WNBA's players, beginning in 1998 when the American Basketball League's New England Blizzard selected her with the third overall pick. Farris played half a season with the Blizzard before the ABL folded during the 1998-99 season. The Detroit Shock then called Farris up to the WNBA the 2000 season, the first of 10 seasons in the league. Over 10 seasons, she tallied 1,094 points, 777 rebounds, 160 assists, 103 steals and 32 blocks in 280 games. She has a career field goal percentage of 43.3 percent and a career free throw percentage of 68.2 percent. Farris reached the playoffs five times and from 2000-08 she played for a variety of FIBA and International teams. Before her 12-year professional career, Farris became a standout center for the Lisa Stockton at Tulane. In four years, Farris earned All-Conference honors in each season, including first team All-Metro honors in 1994-95, first team All-Conference USA honors in 1996-97 and second team All-Conference honors in 1995-96 and 1997-98.  She also received Rookie of the Year her first season and a spot on the All-Metro Rookie Team. She also earned a position on the All-Metro Tournament Team. Tulane made the 1994-95 NCAA Tournament, the first in school history. In her Tulane career, Farris scored 1,729 points – the sixth most by any player in Green Wave history – as well as 939 rebounds, 105 assists, 47 blocks, 144 steals, 660 field goals and 408 free throws. Her career field goal percentage of 63.7 (660-of-1,036) is the best mark by any Tulane player in the program's history. Her 14.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game are eighth and fourth all-time on the Green Wave's career charts. Tulane inducted Farris into their Hall of Fame in 2004. She earned a spot in the Saint Martin's Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011 and received an additional Hall of Fame nod in 2015 as a member of the 1993 championship team which finished with an undefeated 36-0 record. In 2017, Farris earned a spot in the Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame for her success at every level of basketball and dedication to her community. Farris is also a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

Octavia Barnes joined the Bobcats in April of 2025 as an assistant coach. Barnes joined the staff after serving as the Coordinator of Player Development for the last three seasons at Houston with their women's basketball program. Prior to that she completed her playing career for the Houston Cougars in the 2018-2019 season. The former Cougar finished her playing career in Houston, finishing the 2017-18 season as the Cougars’ fifth-leading scorer and 2018-19 season as the fourth-leading scorer. Her teams made back-to-back WNIT appearances as a player. During her time coaching at Houston, Barnes oversaw mentoring and motivating athletes by breaking down film and creating specific workout plans. Barnes helped in the development of guard Laila Blair to earn First Team All-American Athletic Conference Honors (2022-23) and All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Honors (2023-24) for the Cougars. Barnes also helped in the promotion and organization of summer camps hosted by the team. Barnes is also a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).  

Abigail Whitling is in her 14th season as part of the Texas State women’s basketball staff as the director of basketball operations. She previously served as a graduate assistant at the University of Texas and began her career at the University of North Carolina as a student manager. Her responsibilities at Texas State include organizing team travel arrangements, overseeing academic studies and community service, and organizing daily team operations. During the summer, one of her main responsibilities is coordinating the Coach Z Basketball Camp. In addition to her work with the Bobcats, Whitling has also served as a speaker at the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) annual convention in both 2016 and 2017. While at Texas, Whitling prepared game and practice footage for scouting and breakdown under Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame member and former Indiana Fever assistant coach Gail Goestenkors. Off the court, she helped organize and facilitate player relations and community service as well as help with travel planning for all away games, including two NCAA tournament berths in 2011 and 2012. In the offseason, Whitling served as assistant director for the Texas Girls Basketball Camps. She organized all registrations, coordinated with all on campus facilities for camp activities, and organized all daily camp schedules.  She was a 2012 nominee for the University of Texas Student Employee of the Year. During her time with the Tar Heels, Whitling was a student manager from 2007-2010 under Naismith Hall of Fame coach Sylvia Hatchell. She served as the head manager during the 2009-10 season which included her working in the basketball office and being involved in the preparation of practice on a daily basis, along with traveling with the team to all away games. At UNC, Whitling was a part of three NCAA Tournament teams (2008, 2009, and 2010) and the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference championship team. Whitling received her degree from North Carolina in 2010 with a double major in exercise and sport science and political science with a minor in African-American studies. In May 2012, she earned a master’s degree from Texas in sport management. Whitling resides in San Marcos and enjoys dog sitting and relaxing by the pool. Whitling is also a member of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

Tanner Patterson is in his first season as the director of basketball operations for the Texas State men's basketball team. He served as a graduate assistant coach the previous two years at Lamar. During his time in Beaumont, the Cardinals went a combined 39-27 with 26 conference victories. Before arriving in the Golden Triangle, Patterson was on staff at fellow Sun Belt Conference member Troy. He was heavily involved with player development, event coordination, scouting, film, editing, equipment and also assisted with travel and logistics with the Trojans. He received his bachelor's degree from Troy in hospitality, sport and tourism management with a focus on sports. He also minored in leadership.